The Bitly alternative that keeps the good parts free
Custom back-halves, editable destinations, styled QR codes and real-time analytics - The features link tools usually meter, free on GoTo.now.
Shorten your first link free
Why people switch
No scheduled expiration
Valid links in printed QR codes and evergreen posts stay live without a free-tier retirement timer.
Edit destinations free
Re-point any link after sharing it. On most paid tools this is the feature behind the paywall; here it's standard.
Free custom back-halves
goto.now/your-campaign on every link, with an account that costs nothing.
Private analytics
Clicks by day, sources, countries and devices - Visible only to you, never to competitors.
QR codes without watermarks
Custom colors, your logo, print-grade SVG downloads, unlimited scans.
A real API
Create links and conversions over an account-scoped REST API - Approved keys, clear limits, signed webhooks.
GoTo.now vs Bitly, feature by feature
| Feature | GoTo.now | Bitly free tier |
|---|---|---|
| Links created per month | No monthly cap for accounts | 5 |
| Custom back-halves | No monthly cap for accounts | 3 |
| Edit destination after sharing | Included in the free core | Not included on Free |
| QR codes per month | No monthly cap for accounts | 2 |
| Click analytics | Private per-link analytics included | No data history on Free |
| Price to unlock everything above | $0 | Paid subscription |
Bitly is a strong product with a big enterprise suite - Landing pages, custom domains on their infrastructure, deep team tooling. If you need those, it's a fair buy. The switch case is simpler: most people use five features, and those five are exactly what GoTo.now keeps free.
Switching takes an afternoon, not a project
- Export your links from your current tool (CSV export exists on most).
- Recreate them here - By hand for a handful, or via the API for thousands;
findIfExistsmakes re-runs safe, and custom back-halves preserve meaningful slugs. - Update the sources you control - Bios, templates, signatures.
- Leave old printed links alive where they exist; route everything new through goto.now from today.
From then on, a changed destination is an edit in your dashboard, not a re-share.
What you don't give up
Reliability isn't a paid feature here: the same engine has created 2.9 million+ short links since November 2024 and serves their redirects in about 50 milliseconds. And transparency actually improves - Anyone can verify where a goto.now link leads with the free link checker before clicking, while your performance numbers stay yours alone.
Honest limits
Custom domains are provisioned by request rather than through an instant self-serve flow, and there is no built-in landing-page builder. If either is your dealbreaker, we'd rather say it here than after you've migrated. The free core covers shortening, QR codes, analytics, and custom back-halves. Weighing other tools too? The Short.io, Rebrandly, Dub and T.LY comparisons use this same honest format.